


Anyone’s Ghost

by BloodBr0thers



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Getting Together, M/M, Sickfic, This Is Incredibly Self Indulgent, ryan takes care of shane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2020-03-09 07:37:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18912478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodBr0thers/pseuds/BloodBr0thers
Summary: While filming for the latest episode of unsolved, Shane takes sick. Ryan, being the caring friend (who definitely doesn’t have feelings for his best friend) he is, takes care of him.





	Anyone’s Ghost

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing anything unsolved related and I’m really hoping this is all in character, ahahaha. This is also the first thing I’ve written in some time, so apologies if it’s a little choppy. 
> 
> Unfortunately, this work is unedited. I’ll apologise in advance for any mistakes in grammar/punctuation/spelling. 
> 
> Anyway, comments are always appreciated, and I hope you enjoy!!

Shane was sick. 

They were filming in Nevada, focusing on the Mizpah Hotel in Tonopah. The hotel had opened in 1907 as one of Nevada’s first luxury hotels, and in 2011, it had been resorted. The building had been brought back to its original beauty with grand Victorian-era decor, thick granite walls and lavish scarlet trimmings. It’s history, much like its furnishings, was rich with intrigue.

Legend had it that a woman had died on the fifth floor, and her soul had never left the building. The "Lady in Red" had reportedly been haunting the hotel since the tragic event. Whispering in men’s ears, touching peoples shoulders and necks delicately, and leaving gifts on guests’ pillows. They had come to the Mizpah hotel to try and get a glimpse of the infamous spirit, and to attempt to try and make contact with her.

Shane had looked peaky during their evening investigation, seeming suspiciously quiet. He’d brushed Ryan off, though, when asked about it. Ryan hadn’t pushed it. Shane was an adult, he knew his limits. They’d followed their usual set up when it came to filming a supernatural episode, choosing predominantly the fifth floor to carry out most their exploration. 

They’d filmed into the night, being mindful of the other guests still staying in the hotel, and then at around four in the morning, called it quits. They’d headed back to the second floor, Ryan feeling relatively pleased with how their investigation had gone—they hadn’t managed to make contact, but they still had another night ahead of them, and Ryan was feeling pretty optimistic—he was ready to call it a night.

Shane had disappeared into his room without so much as a wave, his usually lanky body looking hunched and weary. Ryan had thought it strange, but ultimately passed it off. His bed was calling to him, and the lull of sleep was winning out rapidly. He’d set his alarm, shed his clothes, and crawled under the duvet without a moments hesitation. Within seconds, he’d been asleep.

And now, as Ryan stared down at the quaking pile of blankets in front of him, he sighed. What had briefly crossed his mind last night was confirmed: Shane was definitely sick. 

In each of their rooms, there had been a small couch and coffee table set up with a television. Shane had managed to drag himself and his duvet to the couch, folding his limbs up awkwardly so that he’d fit all of himself on, and decided he’d apparently rather camp out here. There was a steadily growing pile of tissues on the floor, and a half drunk glass of water on the coffee table in front of him, Shane’s glasses next to it.

“Shane?” Ryan called softly, being careful not to be too loud. “You okay, buddy?”

The cocoon of cotton moved, the covers untangling themselves as Shane fought to free himself from the nest he’d created. Ryan stepped forward to help, peeling back a certain red blanket that Shane was having particular trouble with, revealing a familiar looking sickly face. 

“Ryan? S’that you?” Shane croaked, voice confused and sleep laden. His face was pale, except for the two flushed spots on his cheeks, and his hair was plastered flat against his forehead with sweat. Identical blue smudges were ringed around Shane’s eyes, a stark contrast against his waxy pallor. 

Something inside Ryan’s chest twinged painfully. In that moment, the sudden desire to reach out and touch Shane was so strong it was dizzying. Ryan’s breath hitched in his throat, catching him off guard, and he pushed away the thought of his fingers in Shane’s hair. Shane was looking at him, his eyes glassy and glazed over, unfocused.

“yeah, dude,” replied Ryan quietly, moving closer to his friend. “It’s me.” 

Shane whined unapologetically, once again making his chest twinge, and this time Ryan didn’t think twice about carding his hand through his friends hair. There was a fleeting moment where ryan felt like he’d possibly overstepped the mark, until he felt Shane lean into the touch and the feeling of awkwardness melted away. 

“Not feeling too hot, huh?” Asked Ryan, Shane shook his head. “Yeah, I didn’t think so. You’re not looking too great.”

Ryan gently slid his hand from Shane’s hair down to his forehead, wincing immediately upon contact—the man was burning up. He needed to get his temperature down before it become dangerous. 

“C’mon, big guy,” encouraged Ryan, nudging the other mans shoulder gently, in an attempt to get him to move. “Let’s get you to the shower.” 

When Ryan had been about nine, he’d had a kickass fever so high he’d ended up in the emergency room. His mother had desperately tried showering him off with cold water, but nothing would bring it down. Ryan hoped that wouldn’t be the case now, he really didn’t feel like spending the night in the ER.

Freeing Shane from the blanket prison he’d created for himself was surprisingly hard. The taller man’s legs didn’t want to cooperate, especially not after being knotted up like a pretzel for so long, and Shane was apparently having a real hard time staying awake long enough to make progress. 

“Shane?” Called Ryan, prodding him with his elbow, “Hey, pal. Can you stay awake for me, yeah?” 

Shane was alarmingly out of it, only grunting in response to Ryan’s question. Once the blankets were off, pooled on the floor around Ryan’s feet, Shane shivered violently, despite the fact he was dressed in sweats and a thick hoodie.

“Okay. Ready?” Ryan slipped one of Shane’s arms around his shoulders, getting a proper grip on him. “One, two, three—up we go.”

Hauling the taller man up was easy—despite the jarring coughing fit the sudden movement triggered—the hard part came in the form of taking actual steps. Shane’s half-dead legs almost immediately gave out, making them both stumble into the nearest wall. 

“You’re—ah, fuck, ow—surprisingly fucking heavy for someone so skinny,” grunted Ryan, struggling to balance them both. “Hey, stay awake. Almost there.”

Shane was still shivering in Ryan’s grasp, his teeth starting to chatter as they tripped their way into the adjacent room. The bathroom wasn’t very big, and it was a rather tight squeeze as Ryan manoeuvred round the sink, carefully depositing Shane on the toilets closed lid. He turned the shower on, making sure the water was cool but not freezing.

“Shane?” Ryan shook his friends shoulder tenderly, stirring the other man into action. “Hey, you awake?”

“Mmmh, yeah,” Shane was looking round with fever-bright eyes, obviously confused at how he’d suddenly ended up in the bathroom. “Why’s the shower running?”

“Dude, you’re burning up,” Ryan replied. “C’mon, we need to get you cooled off. Can you take your clothes off?”

Shane scoffed, coughing a little, “Taking advantage of the sick now, Bergara? How disgraceful.”

Ryan rolled his eyes. “Hilarious. Truly.” 

Shane grinned, his shivers starting to turn into trembles as he sat there. There was a sheen of sweat across his forehead, making his already pale skin look grey in the bathrooms fluorescents lights. Ryan could hear Shane wheezing, his chest crackling audibly from congestion.

“C’mon, big guy. Lemme help?”

Reluctantly, Shane nodded. He let out another barking cough as he rose to his feet, grabbing his chest as he sucked in a breath. Ryan helped pull his friends hoodie over his head, making sure to keep his eyes adverted from Shane’s lean torso. Shimmying his way out his sweats, Ryan helped the other man into the shower.

The water wasn’t overly cold, but Shane shivered as he stood under the spray anyway. He’d kept his boxers on—probably for Ryan’s benefit—and as he stood under the water, his eyes flickered shut. 

Ryan reached in and nudged him. “Dude. Don’t fall asleep on me. The last thing I need is you falling over and braining yourself on the wall.”

“Whatever,” mumbled Shane, struggling to keep his eyes open. “It feels good.”

Ten minutes later, Ryan was guiding a soaking wet Shane back through the hotel room. He was swaddled in towels, dithering, and dripping water everywhere. He did, however, look miles better. 

The flushed spots were less prominent, and some of colour had returned to his face. The layer of sweat that had broken out across his skin had disappeared, and his hair was no longer lank and greasy. There was no glaze over his eyes anymore, and the shivering had lessened.

“Here,” Ryan handed Shane his glasses, smiling as he watched the other man blink the world back into focus. “Wanna head to bed?”

Shane nodded. Ryan smiled, squeezing his shoulder in sympathy. He dragged the abandoned duvet back to where it belonged, while also retrieving Shane’s sweats from the bathroom. He handed them back to him as he dumped the comforter back on the bed. 

“Thanks,” Shane rasped, smiling tiredly. 

Ryan attempted to busy himself as Shane dried himself off, and got himself into new underwear which he changed under his towel, but the blush that flourished across Ryan’s cheeks was obvious. It wasn’t he first time it had happened, but Ryan ignored it. He always ignored it—the odd twinges he felt, the strange desires to touch his friend, it would never end well if he acknowledged them.

As Shane finished getting changed, Ryan turned the TV off, refreshed Shane’s glass of water, and dug out some paracetamol from a first aid kit he’d found under the bathroom sink. He quickly sent a text to Devon, explaining the situation in its simplest form and reassured her that she shouldn’t worry, before going to check on Shane. 

“Hey,” Ryan whispered as he approached the bed. “Will you be okay if I go?”

Shane had tucked himself up, wrapped completely in his duvet. He looked better, especially after having taken the medicine Ryan had found. 

“You’re going?” There was obvious disappointment laced in Shane’s croaky voice, and Ryan tried not to get his hopes up. 

Ryan shrugged, “I thought I’d let you sleep. Devon knows you’re sick, she said it’s cool.”

Shane stared at him a moment, before shaking his head. It took Ryan a second to realise that his friend was patting the empty side of the double bed. 

“Ryan?” 

“Yeah?”

“Stay?”

He kicked off his shoes, ditched his own hoodie and crawled into bed alongside Shane. They fumbled in the darkness, moving around each other as they struggled to get comfortable, before they finally settled with Shane pressed flush against Ryan’s back, his arm slung over his waist. 

“Thanks for taking care of me,” mumbled Shane, sleepily. “Probably would’ve died or something.”

Ryan snorted, “probably.” 

Shane huffed a laugh, pressing a quick kiss to Ryan’s temple, “I really like you, Ryan.”

His brain felt fuzzy as he stumbled to catch up, but he soon felt his face splitting into a grin so wide it hurt. Shane pressed closer to him, and Ryan quickly linked their hands together, squeezing tightly before brushing his lips softly against the other man’s knuckles.

“I really like you, too, Shane.”


End file.
